Lust - 1 (26 page)

It was only a few weeks into the school year, and everything,
everything
was wrong.

And there was no way in hel that she was going to take it anymore.

She was Harper Grace. Alone and pathetic, jealous and bitter were not her style.
Tears
were not her style, she reminded herself. She angrily wiped them away, then sat up and pul ed out her cel phone. Typed in a familiar number, then began composing her text message.

She hesitated for a moment, hand hovering over the keys, thinking about the night she’d just spent with Miranda, the loyal friend who stayed with her through everything, who always rescued her, who always got her through.

She thought about a promise she’d made, a promise that she’d meant.

And then she thought about Adam—about Adam and Kaia, the embrace she stil saw every time she closed her eyes. About Adam and Beth, who were probably together right now, hand in hand, body on body, flesh against flesh.

There are some things more important than friendship, Harper decided. Some things more important than promises.

And, hoping she was right, she hit send.

Kane was likely busy right now, she knew, but sometime tomorrow he’d wake up, slough off his hangover, and read her message: If offer is stil open—I’m in.

about the author

Robin Wasserman enjoys writing about high school—but wakes up every day grateful that she doesn’t have to relive it. She recently abandoned the beaches and boulevards of Los Angeles for the chil y embrace of the East Coast, as al that sun and fun gave her too little to complain about. She now lives and writes in New York City, which she claims to love for its vibrant culture and intel ectual life. In reality, she doesn’t make it to museums nearly enough, and actual y just loves the city for its pizza, its shopping, and the fact that at three a.m. you can always get anything you need—and you can get it delivered.